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STEPHEN  B.  WEEKS 

CLASS  OF  1886;  PUD.  THE  JOHNS  HOPKINS  UNIVERSITY 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


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FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


Farm  No.  A-368 


Military  (^rder       ~^¥- 


of  tfye 


Joyal  Jegioq 


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COMMANDERY  OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA. 


WAR    PAPER   ♦8.20 


V  3  ^olurjteer's  ^err(ir|isecnees  o|  j^ije  \r\ 
tip  g.  fl.  g.  gcjuadron,  1862s.,6§/, 


Military  ©rd^r  of  \\}Q  bo^al  tae^ion 


United  §tate5. 


COHH^DE^  DF  THE  DI^TI^lCT  OF  CDLUIV|BIi\. 


WAR    PAPERS. 

20 

re 


^xi^A  ^olu-nteer's  I^eminiscenxes  of  JPjfe  in.  the  INerth. 
si^tlantic  Blockading  Squadron,  1S62='5," 

PREPARED  BY  COMPANION 
Acting  Master 

FRANCIS    P.    B.   SANDS, 

Late  U.  S    Navy, 

AND 
READ  AT  THE  STATED  MEETING  OF  APRIL  4,   1894. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/avolunteersreminOOsand 


ilorth  §tftantfo  §tacfcadmg  £<juadron, 

X862-5. 


To  look  back  through  one's  memories  of  the  days  of  the  great 
Rebellion,  and  to  call  up  personal  experiences  of  those  times  of 
trial,  privation,  and  danger,  supplies  a  never-failing  store  of  rec- 
ollections, upon  which  the  participants  in  the  stirring  scenes  of 
that  war  period  of  our  country's  history  naturally  delight  to 
dwell. 

My  own  association  with  those  who  served  their  country  then 
was  limited  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  North  Atlantic  Blockading 
Squadron,  from  October,  1S62,  to  the  fall  of  Fort  Fisher,  in 
January,  1865,  the  squadron  being  commanded  by  Acting  Rear- 
Admiral  vS.  P.  Lee,  who  was  succeeded  by  Admiral  David  D. 
Porter  in  1S64. 

I  had  a  somewhat  varied  service,  being  attached,  as  an  Acting 
Ensign,  at  first  to  the  sloop  of  war  Dacotah;  then  as  confiden- 
tial aid  to  Admiral  Lee,  on  the  flag-ship  Minnesota;  afterwards 
on  the  U.  S.  S.  Fort  Jackson ;  and  later  still  on  the  U.  S.  S. 
Gettysburg,  under  Lieut.  Roswell  H.  Lamson,  my  father,  Rear- 
Admiral  Benjamin  F.  Sands,  being  the  Divisional  Commander 
of  all  the  vessels  blockading  the  entrances  to  Cape  Fear  river 
during  the  greater  part  of  that  period. 

Although  a  youngster  then,  and  onlv  a  volunteer,  still, 
through  the  warm  personal  friendships  I  had  made  with  many 
of  my  shipmates  of  the  regular  Navy,  I  was  able  to   slip   into 


4 


many  stirring  affairs  with  them,  and  so  found  no  monotony  in 
the  life  on  that  blockaded  coast. 

To  those  who  never  served  upon  the  blockade,  the  severity  of 
the  task  imposed  upon  the  officers  and  men  engaged  in  conduct- 
ing it  is  not  apparent. 

The  necessity  for  a  close  blockade  arose  from  the  disposition 
shown  by  foreign  sympathizers  with  the  Confederacy,  and  by 
some  domestic  speculators,  to  afford  aid  and  comfort  to  the 
enemy. 

Had  the  Federal  Government  been  unable  to  prevent  ingress 
and  egress  of  supplies  and  arms  through  the  seaports  of  the 
Southern  States,  England  would  have  very  soon  granted  bellig- 
erent rights  to  the  Confederacy. 

The  English  journals,  and  even  the  debates  in  Parliament, 
were  full  of  declarations  that,  with  so  extensive  a  coast,  with 
its  numerous  inlets  and  harbors,  and  with  its  dangerous  shoals, 
anything  more  than  a  paper  blockade  would  be  impossible  ;  but 
in  this  case  the  apparently  impossible  was  undertaken ;  and, 
with  a  great  variety  of  improvised  gunboats,  hastily  armed  and 
fitted  with  such  equipment  as  was  available,  every  inlet  and  port 
on  the  Southern  coast  was  closed  to  commerce.  The  capacity 
and  skill  of  the  Government  and  private  shipyards  were  taxed  to 
the  uttermost,  and  our  improvised  Navy  rapidly  grew  in  num- 
bers and  efficiency. 

Many  of  the  officers  of  the  regular  Navy  had  been,  prior  to 
1S61,  long  engaged  in  surveying  the  whole  line  of  our  Southern 
coast.  They  were  familiar  with  all  of  its  shoals  and  currents  ; 
and,  by  reason  of  their  experience  in  that  service,  a  lee-shore  had 
no  terrors  for  them.  I  do  not  remember  a  single  instance,  during 
the  three  years  of  my  service  off  the  entrances  of  Cape  Fear 
river,  that  our  blockaders  were  driven  from  their  post  of  duty 
by    even  the   severest   southeast  gales.     With   the   lead-line  our 


officers  could  follow  the  line  of  the  coast  in  the  dark  ;  and  their 
skill,  boldness,  and  vigilance  taught  them  soon  what  was  needed 
for  a  close  blockade. 

The  vessels,  which,  in  the  daytime,  were  anchored  near  to  the 
senior  officer,  would,  at  night,  be  assigned  to  stations  according 
to  their  draught,  size,  and  speed.  The  smaller  vessels  formed 
the  inner  line,  close  to  the  shore ;  the  heavier  vessels  in  the 
deeper  water,  further  out ;  but  all  so  located,  each  in  reference 
to  its  neighbors,  as  to  make  a  continuous  chain  of  blockaders  in 
front  of  and  covering  the  several  entrances  to  the  port.  The 
station  of  each  vessel  was  known  to  the  others  ;  each  had  its  dis- 
tinguishing lights,  to  be  shown  when  needed.  A  code  of  signals 
was  perfected,  by  which  a  blockader  could  be  distinguished 
from  a  "blockade-runner;"  and,  in  safe  weather,  boats  were 
sent  into  the  inner  channels  at  night,  to  watch  for  attempts 
to  break  the  line  of  blockade  from  within. 

All  night  long,  and  every  night  during  those  years  of  service, 
were  officers  and  crews  kept  in  a  state  of  constant  watchfulness. 
In  the  silent  hours  of  the  night,  eves  and  ears  were  strained,  not 
merely  to  detect  violators  of  the  blockade,  but  to  keep  each  ves- 
sel in  its  own  station  and  to  avoid  collision  with  our  own  ves- 
sels, and  the  confusion  that  might  come  from  failure  to  give  the 
signal  to  distinguish  a  friend  from  an  enemy. 

Several  times  did  it  occur  that  failure  to  show  the  signal-light 
promptly  brought  a  shell  from  a  fellow-blockader ;  and  wdiilst 
explanations  were  being  made  a  wily  blockade-runner  would 
slip  through,  to  our  disgust  and  disappointment. 

Daily,  as  the  dusk  came  on,  all  the  vessels  would  get  under 
way  and,  as  the  darkness  increased,  each  would  gradually  move 
in  towards  its  especial  night-station. 

Following  their  movements,  our  Captain,  weighing  anchor, 
would    steam    slowly   in,  all   the  watch  on   deck,   the  guns  ready 


for   action,   and   eyes,   watchful    eyes,  noting   everything  around 
us. 

Darkness  profound  would  soon  wrap  all  things  from  sight ; 
the  haze  upon  the  water  would  shut  the  shore-line  from  us, 
although  we  were  steadily  nearing  it. 

The  master-at-arms  would  report  all  lights  out,  excepting  the 
covered  lanterns  kept  ready  at  hand  for  signalling,  and  the  lights 
in  the  hooded  binnacles. 

The  word  is  passed  for  silence  throughout  the  ship,  and  a  hand 
in  the  chains  on  either  side,  from  time  to  time,  in  whispered 
tones  announced  the  decreasing  depth  as  we  drew  in  towards  the 
bar. 

The  messenger  boy  would  quietly  report  to  the  officer  of  the 
deck  the  half  hours  as  they  passed  away  ;  and  in  the  perfect 
silence  that  existed  would  come  the  sentry's  call  on  Fort  Cas- 
well announcing  the  hour  and  that   all  was  well. 

It  was  such  hours  as  these  that  would  wear  and  fatigue  the 
watcher. 

The  ear  and  eye  would  be  kept  constantly  on  the  strain  ;  and 
the  necessity  which  existed  for  being  ready  for  instant  action, 
equal  to  any  demand  that  might  suddenly  come  requiring 
promptness,  decision,  and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  duty,  not 
knowing  the  quarter  from  which  the  call  would  be  made,  kept  us 
all  on  the  alert  and  in  a  state  of  suspense  and  never-flagging 
excitement. 

We  were  never  conscious,  at  the  time,  of  the  weariness  grow- 
ing upon  us,  which  made  our  eves  close  in  sleep,  heavy  and 
profound,  when  the  coming  of  the  "•relief  permitted  us,  after 
passing  the  orders  of  the  night,  to  slip  into  our  bunks. 

We  might  be  sleeping  quietly  and  restfully,  when  a  rocket 
fired  tells  by  its  course  that  a  blockade-runner  is  approaching  in 
a  given  direction. 


7 

Sleep  is  gone  at  once.  "All  hands  on  deck!"  is  the  word 
quickly  passed,  and  soon  every  gun  is  reported  manned  and 
ready  for  action  ! 

Steam  is  run  up,  and  we  follow  to  intercept  the  chase. 
Rocket  follows  rocket,  a  gun  is  heard,  and  the  "  artful  dodger" 
is  hedged  in  at  last,  and  either  captured  or  run  upon  the  beach 
and  destroyed. 

Well  do  I  remember  the  many  nights  of  boat  service  with 
Lieut.  Sullivan  D.  Ames,  of  the  Dacota//,  when,  as  night  and 
the  darkness  fell  and  the  vessels  of  the  blockading  fleet  would 
get  under  way  for  their  several  night-posts  of  duty  and  watch- 
fulness to  intercept  incoming  blockade-runners,  a  few  armed 
cutters  would  slowly  pull  in  toward  the  bar,  with  rockets  and 
hidden  slow-matches,  i*eady  to  signal  the  attempt  of  any  cotton- 
laden  steamers  to  escape  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  we 
had  seen  them  at  anchor  during  the  day. 

How  exciting  it  was,  to  feel  our  boat  gliding  shoreward,  with 
muffled  oars,  under  the  guns  of  Fort  Caswell — sometimes 
going  in  so  close  to  the  beach  as  to  hear  the  chatting  of  the 
sentries  on  watch,  knowing  the  wdiile  that  any  chance  noise 
with  us  would  bring  a  volley  from  shore.  All  night  long  we 
patrolled  to  and  fro  ;  and  as  the  morning  came  we  would  with- 
draw to  meet  our  vessels  as  they  came  into  the  day-stations,  and 
then  snatch  a  few  hours'  sleep  before  taking  up  the  drills  of  the 
day,  which  were  never  omitted. 

Well  do  I  remember  the  exciting  chases  after  blockade- 
runners,  the  capture  of  the  steamers  Little  Ada,  Blenheim, 
and  Armstrong,  stored  with  drugs,  liquors,  and  stores  for  the 
rebels;  and  of  the  beautiful  steel  blockade-runner  Lillian,  with 
a  heavy  cargo  of  cotton,  outward  bound.  How  fast  she  was  ! 
But  the  Gettysburg  was  just  from  the  Norfolk  dry-dock,  where 
her  bottom    had   been    scraped    and   painted   and    then    covered 


with  grease,  which  the  officers  of  the  ward-room  mess  paid  for 
in  the  hope  that  it  would  bring  a  good  return,  as  it  did  ;  and  I 
felt  as  proud  as  William  Tell  when  the  shot  I  fired  from  our 
thirty-pounder  Parrott  gun  knocked  a  hole  in  the  side  of  the 
Lillian  at  the  water-line  abreast  her  foremast,  and  she  surren- 
dered. 

The  Gettysburg  was  a  converted  blockade-runner,  and  very 
fast,  and  Lieutenant  Lamson,  her  commander,  being  allowed  to 
cruise  off  shore,  we  would  take  up  a  station  at  a  point  near  the 
inner  edge  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  where  it  was  most  likely  that 
any  escaping  blockade-runner  from  Wilmington  would  be  at 
daybreak,  on  the  course  to  Bermuda. 

There^  just  before  dawn,  while  the  turning  wheels  kept  the 
vessel  slowly  moving  in  a  circle,  the  officer  of  the  deck  would 
go  aloft  in  a  boatswain's  chair,  and  with  powerful  glasses  would 
carefully  scan  the  whole  horizon  from  the  moment  the  dawn 
made  its  clear-cut  line  distinct  against  thevsky.  What  a  thrill  of 
delight  ran  through  me  on  seeing  what  was  apparently  a  cloud 
lengthen  out  into  a  trail  of  smoke  that  told  of  a  passing  steamer. 
The  word  was  quickly  passed  below,  our  vessel's  bow  was 
turned  to  a  course  to  intercept  the  stranger ;  the  Captain  was 
called  ;  and,  as  doubt  became  certainty,  and  a  blockade-runner 
was  known  to  be  ahead,  all  hands  down  to  the  powder-boy  were 
on  the  jump,  and  the  firemen,  stripped  to  the  waist,  shoved  pitch 
pine  and  rosin  into  the  furnaces,  to  increase  the  head  of  steam 
and  the  speed  of  our  vessel. 

How  we  would  apostrophize  (  !)  our  luck  when  we  could  see 
the  chase  outstrip  us,  and  gradually  disappear  with  the  twilight 
after  a  long  day  of  strain  and  varying  emotions,  leaving  us  to 
solace  ourselves  by  a  return  trip  over  the  course  we  followed,  to 
load  up  our  decks  with  derelict  cotton,  sacrificed  by  the  Captain 
of  the  chase  to  make  sure  her  escape  from  our  clutches ;  and 
this  experience  was  many  times  repeated. 


9 

Blockade-running  was  gradually  reduced  to  a  science.  In  the 
early  days  of  the  war,  as  the  records  show,  sailing  vessels  were 
often  caught  attempting  to  carry  their  cai-goes  through  ;  but  as 
the  months  grew  into  years  the  English  ship-builders  sent  out 
from  their  shipyards  those  fast  steamers  which  so  often  baffled 
all  the  skill  and  watchfulness  of  our  officers. 

Taking  that  time  of  night  when  it  was  the  darkest,  just  before 
dawn,  the  low-hulled,  lead-colored  steamers  would  steal  along 
the  mist-hidden  shores  ;  and,  though  often  detected,  they  would 
by  bold  dashes  escape  in  under  the  protection  of  the  Fort.  The 
beach  from  the  Frying  Pan  Shoals  to  Masonboro  Inlet  was 
strewn  with  wrecks  of  those  driven-  ashore  by  our  fleet,  over 
sixty  steamers  having  been  captured  or  destroyed  by  the  vessels 
of  the  blockading  fleet  off  Cape  Fear  river,  with  a  much  larger 
number  of  sailing  craft,  barks,  brigs,  and  schooners,  which  were 
trying  to  steal  into  the  smaller  inlets  on  the  North  Carolina 
coast. 

Some  idea  of  the  magnitude  and  importance  of  the  task  of 
thus  blockading  the  southern  coasts  from  Cape  Henry  to  Galves- 
ton, and  of  its  efficiency,  may  be  gathered  from  the  records, 
which  show  that  during  the  war  1,151  blockade-runners  of  all 
kinds  were  captured  and  sold  after  condemnation,  whose  aggre- 
gate value  was  $24,500,000:  and  that  31^  blockade-runners,  of 
the  estimated  value  of  $7,000,000,  were  destroyed  whilst 
attempting  to  force  the  blockade. 

That  the  cargoes  of  these  blockade-runners  did  not  always 
come  from  England  we  know  ;  and  I  recall  one  boat  attack  on  a 
rebel  battery  of  two  Whitworth  guns,  guarding  the  wreck  of 
the  Hebe  which  had  been  driven  ashore  by  the  U.  S.  S.  Nifihon 
near  Masonboro  Inlet.  Whilst  our  boat  crews,  after  we  had 
driven  the  rebels  from  their  works,  were  engaged  in  dismount- 
ing the  guns  for  transportation  to  the  flag-ship,  we  opened   some 


IO 


of  the  bales  that  had  formed  a  part  of  the  cargo,  and  found  that 
thev  were  U.  S.  Army  blankets  which  had  been  shipped  south 
from  Boston  via  Bermuda,  thus  showing  that  some  thrifty  citi- 
zen was  filling  his  pockets  and  giving  comfort  to  the  enemy. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  our  work  on  the  blockade  was 
confined  to  watching  for  or  chasing  blockade-runners.  There 
were  occasional  dashes  into  the  enemy's  lines  on  shore,  such  as 
Cushing's  attempt  in  the  Ellis,  when,-  although  he  lost  his  ves- 
sel in  attempting  to  return  through  the  inlet,  he  destroyed  much 
rebel  property  and  escaped  in  a  schooner  he  had  cut  out. 

Again,  there  was  the  destruction  of  the  extensiye  salt-works, 
near  Masonboro  Inlet,  in  April.  1S64.  by  the  boat  crews  from 
the  Fort  Jackson  and  the  Nifthon — an  expedition  which  broke 
up  the  main  supply  of  salt  for  the  Confederate  forces  in  the 
State  of  Xorth  Carolina.  Fifty  wagons  were  burned,  all  the 
salt-pans  and  boilers  were  blown  up  by  our  shells  exploded  under 
them,  and  our  boats  withdrew  in  safety,  taking  off  some  fifty 
conscripts,  who  were  apparently  very  much  gratified  at  being 
taken  away  from  Rebel  Army  service. 

An  amusing  incident,  a  sequel  to  the  attack  on  the  salt-works, 
grew  out  of  the  fact  that  one  of  the  prisoners,  one  Carter,  had 
been  married  only  six  or  seven  months,  and  his  young  wife,  a 
comely  woman  of  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  insisted  that  she 
would  not  leave  her  husband,  and  followed  the  party  to  embark 
in  the  boats.  Owing  to  the  shoal  water,  the  boats  were  some 
little  distance  from  the  shore,  and  the  men  simply  waded  out 
and  took  their  seats.  The  young  woman,  however,  did  not  wish 
to  tuck  up  her  skirts  to  take  to  the  water,  so  an  old  salt,  coxs- 
wain of  one  of  the  boats,  stooped  down,  and,  making  her  put 
her  arms  around  his  neck,  took  her  pick-a-back,  and  striding 
out  to  his  boat,  backed  around  and  unloaded  her  safe  and  dry. 

On  reaching   the  Fort  Jackson   the  men  became  much    inter- 


•  II 


ested  in  the  young  couple,  who  had  nothing  but  the  clothing  they 
stood  in.  The  boatswain  gave  up  his  stateroom  to  them  that 
they  might  have  privacy  and  comfort,  and  thev  were  given  mess 
privileges  and  comforts  and  attention  from  all  hands  forward, 
which  astonished  them.  Thev  had  no  idea  that  the  hated 
Yankee  sailors  could  be  so  gentle  and  considerate.  But  the 
climax  was  reached  when,  after  a  week  or  ten  days  on  board 
the  old  Fort  Jackson,  they  arrived  at  Norfolk  and  our  con- 
scripts were  mustered  on  deck  to  be  sent  ashore. 

Inquiries  put  to  the  young  husband  had  elicited  the  fact  that 
he  and  his  wife  had  no  means  of  support,  and  the  crew  of  the 
Fort  Jackson  therefore  made  up  a  purse  of  nearlv  three  hun- 
dred dollars  to  be  presented  to  them  before  they  left  us,  and  the 
boatswain-mate,  as  spokesman  for  the  men,  stepped  forward  to 
say  "good-bye"  to  the  young  wife,  and  putting  the  purse  in 
her  hands,  told  her  that  the  men  wished  her  happiness,  and  felt 
sure  that  the  contents  of  the  purse  would  make  it  easier  for  her 
husband  and  herself  to  begin  life  again. 

The  young  woman,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  thanked  him,  saying 
that  she  scarcely  knew  how  to  testify  to  her  gratitude  for  all 
their  kindness,  and  that  she  could  not  carry  the  names  of  all  the 
men  in  mind,  as  she  would  like  to  do  ;  but,  to  show  her 
remembrance  of  the  whole  ship's  crew,  she  naively  added  that 
(if  it  was  a  boy)  she  would  name  her  son  Fort  Jackson  Carter 
— a  comprehensive  compliment,  received  by  the  crew  with 
applause;  and  as  she  went  over  the  side  "the  coming  events 
cast  their  shadows  before.'' 

The  daily  life  of  officers  and  men  upon  the  blockade  during 
the  rebellion  must  not  be  judged  of  by  what  one  may  know  of 
routine  duty  on  the  ordinary  battle-ships. 

Their  main  value  was  that  they  stood  there  the  protectors  of 
the  smaller  gunboats,  the    converted    blockade-runners    and  mer- 


12 


chant  steamers,  which  were  but  lightly  armed,  and  not  at  all  of 
sufficient  strength  to  successfully  cope  with  such  rebel  cruisers  as 
the  Alabama,  the  Tallahassee,  the  Sumter,  or  the  Chick- 
ajnauga,  nor  with  the  ironclad  North  Carolina  from  within 
Cape  Fear  river. 

The  lack  of  speed  in  the  frigates  and  sloops  of  war  precluded 
attempts  by  them  at  chasing;  but  they  were  efficient  in  guarding 
the  blockade  from  any  attempts  at  breaking  it  by  force  that 
might  be  made. 

The  honors  and  laurels  of  the  war  were  awarded  to  those  who 
achieved  "'battle  records,"  and  it  generally  happened  that  those 
who  had  been  zcorking  and  xvatching  and  ivaiting  and  longing 
and  planning  for  these  opportunities  for  distinction — those  who 
had  been  undergoing  and  faithfully  discharging  for  years  the 
tedious  duties  of  maintaining  the  blockade  by  night  and 
day  (knowing  the  while  that  the  years  of  such  labors  would 
count  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  a  brilliant  dash  or  a  spirited 
combat  for  a  few  hours) — were  superseded  by  officers  whose 
service,  before  that,  had  been  where  they  were  spared  the  trying 
and  wearing  work  on  the  outside  blockade. 

This  long-continued  and  wearisome  blockade  service,  though 
not  estimated  in  the  general  distribution  of  laurels  that  came 
after  the  war,  was  such  as  to  cause  those  who  had  to  perform  it 
to  long  for  the  excitement  and  the  change  that  would  come  with 
actual  engagement  with  the  enemy ;  and  we  welcomed  and 
dared  the  shot  and  shell  and  grape  of  Fort  Fisher,  as  ending 
the  tedious  blockade  service,  and  as  giving  us  a  chance  for  hon- 
ors, which  we  all  longed  for  as  evidences  in  the  future  of  suc- 
cess in  our  efforts  at  performing  naval  service  when  the  country 
needed  us. 

Having,  from  month  to  month,  watched  and  noted  and 
sketched  the  growth  of  the  sand-bag-  defences  on  Federal  Point 


13 

until  the  completion  of  the  heavy  and  very  extensive  line  of 
works  from  Mound  Battery  to  and  including  the  main  works  of 
Fort  Fisher,  it  is  with  reluctance  that  I  refrain  from  giving  a 
detailed  narrative  of  my  recollections  in  connection  with  the 
attack,  made  by  the  combined  forces  of  the  Army  and  Navy, 
which  resulted  in  its  capture  on  the    15th   day  of  January,  iS6^. 

The  limits  of  this  sketch,  however,  do  not  permit  of  more 
than  a  brief  outline  from  the  store  of  my  memories  of  those  days, 
and  from  the  journal  jottings  I  have  preserved. 

A  graphic  writer  could  draw  a  most  interesting  picture  of  the 
great  fleet  of  Admiral  Porter,  anchored  in  two  lines,  some 
twelve  miles  to  the  eastward  of  New  Inlet,  on  the  2 2d  and  23d  of 
December,  1S64,  riding  out  the  heavy  gale  that  swept  up  from 
the  southwest. 

How  anxiously  we  watched  the  green  seas  rolling  over  the 
decks  of  the  monitors,  and  through  the  night  looking  for  their 
lights  for  assurances  of  their  safety  ! 

How  eagerly  through  the  night  of  the  23d  we  waited  and 
watched  for  the  explosion  of  Captain  Rhind's  powder-boat, 
which  was  to  have  levelled  the  sand  forts  on  Federal  Point,  and 
did  not  ! 

How  majestic  was  the  movement  of  the  ironclads  and  the 
other  men-of-war,  as  they  swept,  in  line  of  battle,  into  their 
several  stations  at  12.30  P.  M.  on  the  24th,  every  vessel  having 
its  target  on  shore  assigned  to  it  by  the  Admiral  in  the  plan  of 
bombardment:  and  then,  following  the  first  shot  from  the  New 
Ironsides,  came  that  roar  from  the  fleet  and  fort,  as  shot  and 
shell  went  hurtling  to  their  marks  from  the  guns  of  forty-four 
vessels,  responded  to  from  the  heavy  batteries  on  shore. 

All  that  night  and  next  day  was  the  grand  and  terrific  bom- 
bardment continued  ;  and  then  came  the  reaction  and  disappoint- 
ment following  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  by  General  Butler, 


14 


and    the   knowledge  that    the    word    ••fiasco''  would   be   written 
down  as  the  end  of  this  costly  expedition. 

To  the  perseverance  and  insistence  of  Admiral  Porter,  and  to 
the  confidence  with  which  he  had  inspired  Secretary  Welles, 
which  secured  the  co-operation  of  General  Grant  in  the  care- 
fully prepared  plans  of  the  Admiral,  the  country  is  indebted  for 
the  second  and  successful  attack  upon  Fort   Fishe'r. 

Within  three  weeks  1'iom  the  date  of  that  •"fiasco"  the  fleet 
was  again  in  front  of  Xew  Inlet. 

From  a  great  flotilla  of  transports  Grant's  regiments,  under 
the  command  of  General  Terry,  were  landed  near  Half  Moon 
Battery,  our  smaller  blockaders  haying  cleared  the  beach  with 
their  Parrott  guns;  and  soon  a  line  of  intrenchments  was  thrown 
up  across  the  neck,  as  a  protection  against  the  possible  attack  by 
General  Hoke  upon  our  rear,  and  preparations  for  the  attack 
upon  the  Fort  were  rapidly  made  by  the  energetic  officers  com- 
manding our  troops  ashore. 

On  the  morning  of  January  i^,  iS6^.  from  even-  vessel  hay- 
ing men  to  spare,  started  boats  loaded  down  with  marines  and 
sailors,  in  all  about  two  thousand  in  number,  armed  with  revol- 
vers and  cutlasses  and  some  few  with  carbines,  and  they  were 
landed  out  of  gunshot  from  the  Fort. 

We  were  formed  in  four  divisions,  the  leading  one  to  form  the 
skirmish  line,  composed  of  the  marines,  under  Captain  Dawson  ; 
the  next  under  Lieut.  Commander  C.  H.  Cushman,  the  third 
under  Lieut.  Commander  James  Parker,  and  the  fourth  under 
Lieut.  Commander  T.  0.  Selfridge. 

The  Fleet  Captain,  Lieut.  Commander  K.  R.  Breese,  repre- 
senting the  Admiral,  was  in  command  of  the  whole  force, 
Parker  having  waived  his  seniority  for  the  day. 

It  was  about  2  P.  M.  before  the  Admiral's  landing  instructions 
were  read  to  the    officers    by   Captain   Breese,  and  then   the   ma- 


rines  were  hastened  forward  to  take  positions  close  to  the  Fort. 
and  keep  the  parapet  clear  for  our  advance. 

The  Army  was  massed  out  of  sight  across  the  neck  of  land 
near  the  river,  and.  under  Generals  Ames  and  Curtis,  was  reach 
to  move  when  the  signal  agreed  upon  should  he  given. 

At  last  we  started  forward  towards  the  north  or  land  face  of 
the  Fort.  and.  when  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  it.  we  passed 
over  a  line  of  breastworks  which  had  been  thrown  up  for  the 
protection  of  our  men. 

From  a  small  sally-port  midway  on  that  north  front,  fire  was 
opened  upon  us  from  a  Napoleon  gun,  as  our  men  were  wheeled 
to  the  left  and  marched  quickly  to  the  beach,  along  which  we 
were  then  run  at  double-quick  until  well  under  fire  from  the 
Fort,  when  our  whole  force  was  ordered  to  lav  down  on  the 
slope  of  the  beach,  behind  a  crest  of  sand  hills,  there  to  rest  and 
await  the  signal  for  the  assault. 

During  all  this  time,  and  it  seemed  interminable,  a  terrible 
rain  of  shell  from  the  monitors,  anchored  close  to  the  beach,  was 
being  poured  upon  the  guns  of  the  Fort,  their  line  of  tire  being 
directly  over  our  column,  and  many  were  wounded  there  by 
fragments  of  shell  which  now  and  then  exploded  prematurely 
overhead. 

It  was  about  3  o'clock  when  the  two  shrill  whistles  from  the 
flag-ship  Malvern  told  us  the  time  had  come,  and  the  whole 
command,  springing  up  to  our  feet,  with  a  cheer  started  on  a  run 
towards  the  Fort  at  the  word  of  command  from  Captain  Breese 
as  he  charged  down  on  the  right  flank,  and  near  him  was 
Parker  with  his  long  talma  overcoat  covering  his  uniform,  as  he 
pressed  forward  at  the  head  of  our  division. 

Lieut.  Lamson,  our  Captain,  kept  the  Gettysburg s  men  well 
together  as  wc  charged  ;  and.  as  the  whole  force  drew  near  to 
the  line  of  palisades  which   ran   from   the  northeast    angle  of   the 


i6 


Fort  down  to  the  high-water  mark,  the  firing  from  the  fleet 
ceased,  and  the  rebels  swarmed  on  the  sea  front  of  the  Fort, 
which  was  about  iS  or  20  feet  high,  and  sent  a  hail- storm  of 
bullets  over  the  palisades,  through  our  ranks. 

The  head  of  the  column,  on  reaching  the  palisades,  for  some 
reason  failed  to  go  around  them  ;  a  few  only  went  beyond  them, 
but  could  not  remain,  and  the  main  body  of  officers  and  men  in 
front  were  checked  by  the  enemy's  fire,  and,  turning  to  the  right, 
charged  up  close  to  the  palisades  at  the  northeast  angle  of  the 
Fort,  where  all  hands  lay  down  again,  out  of  breath  from  our 
run.  We  were  a  broad  solid  bank  of  blue-jackets  stretched 
there,  silently  receiving  the  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy  on  the 
parapet,  and  waiting  for  the  next  move. 

I  lost  sight  of  my  Captain  as  I  reached  the  palisades,  and, 
looking  around  for  him,  saw  Captain  Breese  walk  back  from  the 
head  of  the  column,  some  fifty  feet  off  to  my  right,  and  heard 
him  order  the  men  to  rise  up  and  charge  on  the  Fort,  and  he 
started  to  lead  them  on,  but  a  panic  seemed  to  strike  upon  the 
men  back  of  us,  and,  quicker  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  the  whole 
force  in  our  rear  were  wildly  flying  down  the  beach. 

I  found  that  there  was  no  place  of  shelter  under  the  palisades 
left  for  our  men,  and  we  joined  the  retreating  column,  every 
man  of  the  Gettysburg  aiding  in  carrying  off  the  wounded, 
who  were  falling  around  us  under  the  grape  and  canister  poured 
after  us  from  the  heavy  guns  on  the  Mound  Battery.  I  did  not 
know  that  my  Captain  had  been  wounded,  until  the  next  morning, 
when  I  learned  that  twenty  per  cent,  of  our  men  were  killed  or 
wounded. 

Col.  Lockwood,  of  General  Ames'  Staff,  in  an  article  published 
in  the  November  number  of  the    United  Service  Journal \  pur 
ports  to  give  an  accurate  narrative  of  the  capture  of  Fort  Fisher. 

In    commenting    upon    the    part    taken    by    the    Navy    in    that 


x7 


assault,  after  setting  out  in  extenso  and  indulging  in  a  natural 
criticism  of  the  general  order  from  the  Admiral  which  was  read 
to  us  by  Captain  Breese  on  the  beach,  and  after  complimenting 
the  gallantry  and  daring  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Naval 
assaulting  party,  giving  us  credit  for  the  good  results  that  came 
from  the  assault,  Col.  Lockwood  tells  of  our  retreat  down  the 
beach,  and  adds  :  "  Strange  as  it  may  appear^  no  attempt  was 
made  to  rally  them  to  renew  their  effort  to  board  the  Fort  in 
seamanlike  manner." 

Now,  he  was  possibly  kept  so  busy  by  General  Ames  that  he 
did  not  see  all  that  transpired  on  the  beach.  He  was  mistaken 
in  that  statement ;  for,  after  seeing  the  last  wounded  man  re- 
moved from  the  temporary  field-hospital,  a  volunteer  officer 
from  the  Gettysburg  did  rally  a  force  of  men  and  march  back, 
with  the  intention  of  joining  and  aiding  those  officers  and  men 
who,  being  packed  close  under  the  shelter  of  the  angle  of  the 
palisades,  had  their  retreat  cut  off  by  the  hail  of  bullets  from  the 
parapet  above  them. 

We  were  soon  again  under  fire  and  made  a  rush  forward  to 
some  sand  hillocks  close  to  the  slope  of  the  beach  near  the  Fort, 
and  found  that  Ensign  J.  H.  Sands,  of  the  Shenandoah,  and 
Mr.  Carlisle  Porter,  the  Admiral's  Secretary  (now  a  Captain  in 
the  U.S.  Marine  Corps),  with  some  sailors  supplied  with  shovels, 
were  already  at  that  point  working  their  way  towards  the  Fort, 
with  the  same  object  in  view. 

Whilst  resting  after  our  rapid  run  forward,  Lieut.  Wm.  B. 
Cushing,  who  had  seen  our  flags  flying,  joined  us.  He  stated 
that  he  had  just  come  from  General  Terry,  who  had  requested 
him  to  bring  us  back  to  relieve  his  men  (at  the  earthworks  in  the 
rear) ,  who  were  needed  to  reinforce  the  troops  then  entering  the 
Fort  from  the  river  side. 

As  he  (Cushing)  was  the  ranking  officer,  we   had  to  give  up 


i8 


our  intended  advance,  and  forming  our  men,  still  under  fire,  we 
leisurely  marched  down  the  beach,  with  flags  flying,  to  the  posts 
assigned  us,  and  there  we  were  kept  on  watch  until  dawn  the 
the  next  morning. 

My  recollection  of  this  is  particularly  vivid,  since  in  conse- 
quence of  Cushing's  verbal  report  that  night  to  the  Admiral 
of  what  I  had  tried  to  do,  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  receive 
my   promotion  a  few  days  afterwards. 

Whilst  examining  the  captured  Fort  early  on  the  next  morn- 
ing, my  attention  was  called  to  an  electric  battery  in  the  case- 
mate at  the  northeast  angle  of  the  Fort,  and  going  to  the  slope 
on  the  outside  I  found  where  the  small  rope  of  copper  wires 
leading  from  the  battery  had  been  cut  in  two  by  a  shell  from  the 
fleet,  and  I  have  now  amongst  my  souvenirs  of  that  day  a  por- 
tion of  that  wire  showing  where  it  was  cut.  which  I  preserve  as 
a  reminder  of  the  propinquity  of  "  Kingdom  Come  "  for  all 
hands  of  us  then,  because  the  wires  led  to  a  number  of  torpedoes 
hidden  under  the  sand  over  which  our  column  had  been  massed 
for  many  minutes  during  our  charge. 

Col.  Lamb,  the  Confederate  Commander,  told  me,  a  few  days 
since,  "  that  he  did  not  know  the  true  cause  of  the  failure  of  the 
torpedoes  to  explode,  as  he  had  given  the  timely  order  for  it, 
and  he  had  deemed  the  German  electrician  in  charge  of  the  bat- 
tery a  traitor  for  failing  to  blow  us  up,  and  intended  to  have  him 
shot." 

This  reference  that  I  have  made  to  mv  friend  Cushing,  whose 
numerous  deeds  of  daring  enlivened  our  service  on  the  blockade, 
and  have  been  so  frequently  written  up,  leads  me  to  add  here  a 
short  recital  of  an  act  of  daring,  planned  and  successfully  car- 
ried out  by  an  old  shipmate  while  we  were  serving  together  on 
the  Admiral's  Staff,  and  with  it  to  end  mv  sketches. 

The   interests  of  the  service  to-day  require  that   the  recollec- 


19 

tions  of  the  gallant  deeds  and  the  noble  characters  of  those  who 
formed  a  part  of  it  in  the  past  should  not  be  permitted  to  fade 
away.  The  memory  of  their  merits,  their  deeds,  their  noble 
ti-aits,  should  be  perpetuated  for  the  instruction,  the  admiration, 
and  emulation  of  those  who  have  succeeded  them,  in  order  that 
all  mav  learn  to  point  with  pride  to  the  worthy  records  of  those 
who  have  brought  honor  upon  the  service. 

A  sketch  of  the  naval  career  of  Lieutenant  Roswell  H.  Lam- 
son  will  form  a  fittting  companion  piece  to  that  of  his  friend, 
William  B.  dishing,  since  these  two  gallant  young  officers 
often  fought  side  by  side  :  and,  without  a  shadow  of  jealousy, 
were  continually  vying  with  each  other  to  see  which  would  win 
the  greater  success  in  action ;  and  each,  with  a  generosity 
always  found  allied  with  true  courage,  ever  had  words  of  praise 
for  the  gallantry  of  the  other. 

Roswell  H.  Lamson  entered  the  Naval  Academy  in  Sep- 
tember, 1S5S;  and  graduated  second  in  his  class,  which  was 
led  bv  the  brave  Preston,  who  fell  at  his  side  whilst  nobly  lead- 
ing in  the  assault  by  the  Naval  Brigade  on  Fort  Fisher,  on  the 
15th  of  January,  iS6^,  where  Lamson  himself  was  severely 
wounded. 

He  was  of  studious  habits,  devoted  to  his  profession,  and  most 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty.  His  associations  and 
experience  prior  to  entering  the  Academy,  having  been  among 
those  much  older  than  himself,  and  amidst  scenes  that  called 
upon  him,  boy  though  he  was,  to  perform  the  duties  of  a  man, 
well  prepared  him  for  the  stirring  events  that  met  him  at  the 
threshold  of  his  career. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  had  crossed  the  plains  with  his 
father  to  Oregon,  and  that  exciting  border  life  trained  him  early 
to  habits  of  observation  and  gifted  him  with  prudence  ;  whilst 
the  association  with  those  brave  men,  the  pioneers  of  civilization 


20 


in  the  great  Northwest,  gained  him  manliness  and  self-reliance, 
which  qualities  were  strengthened  at  the  Academy  by  the  zeal 
with  which,  as  a  student,  he  prepared  himself  for  his  professional 
career. 

I  first  met  him  when  we  were  attached  '  to  the  Staff  of  Rear- 
Admiral  Lee,  commanding  the  North  Atlantic  Blockading 
Squadron,  Lieut.  Lamson  being  the  flag-lieutenant,  and  our 
duties  bringing  us  into  intimate  association,  he  soon  became 
endeared  to  me  for  his  noble  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 

Accui'ate  and  thorough  in  every  performance  of  his  duty, 
possessing  great  vigor  of  mind  and  energy,  he  had  won  the  entire 
confidence  of  his  superiors  ;  his  amiability  and  frank  bonhomie, 
his  courtliness  and  many  accomplishments,  had  gained  him  the 
affection  of  his  messmates  ;  whilst  his  resolute  daring,  and  his 
fearlessness  manifested  in  numerous  actions,  secured  to  him  the 
devotion  of  those  who  served  under  him. 

It  was  most  gratifying  to  me  to  witness  the  trust  reposed  in 
him  by  the  Admiral  ;  to  observe  the  weight  given  to  his  opinions 
by  officers  so  much  older  than  himself,  who  seemed  to  appreciate 
his  sterling  qualities,  his  sound  judgment,  and  his   bold   courage. 

The  records  of  the  Navv  Department,  for  those  years  of  the 
war.  bear  frequent  testimony  to  the  efficiency  of  his  services  as 
an  officer,  and  to  the  credit  his  conduct  reflected  on   the  Navy. 

His  friend  Cushing  surpassed  him  only  in  the  result  of  that 
daring  endeavor  which,  in  the  destruction  of  the  rebel  ram 
Albemarle,  made  secure  the  Federal  control  in  the  sounds  of 
North  Carolina. 

One  gallant  enterprise,  in  which  the  names  of  Cushing  and 
Lamson  were  in  a  measure  united,  although  the  greater  glory 
from  it  was  won  by  the  latter,  will,  I  am  sure,  prove  interesting 
to  the  reader,  and  instructive,  I  think,  in  showing  to  the  junior 
officers  of  the   service   that   all   the    opportunities    for    distinction 


21 


and  honor  are  not  monopolized  by  their  seniors,  but  that  energy 
activity,  valor,  and  ability  will  always  find  occasion  to  force 
recognition.  It  will  teach  that  unselfishness,  devotion  to  duty, 
and  hearty  co-operation  by  officers  with  each  other  will  ever  in- 
sm-e  the  best  interests  of  the  service  and  will  nurture  an  esprit  de 
corps,  without  which  the  efficiency  of  the  service  will  be  weak 
indeed ;  for  we  have  seen,  and  with  i-egret,  that  there  are  those 
in  the  service  who  think  that  their  honor  is  not  tarnished  by 
their  unworthy  efforts  to  detract  from,  or  by  being  silent  as  to, 
and  thus  belittling,  the  brilliant  records  and  gallant  acts  of  their 
brother  officers  who  do  not  rely  for  advancement  upon  the 
strength  and  efficacy  of  a  political  pull,  which  often,  however, 
succeeds  better  than  modest  merit. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1S63,  the  Confederates  south  of  the 
James  river  seemed  to  awaken  to  unwonted  activity.  A  large 
force,  under  the  command  of  Major-General  French,  had  nearly 
surrounded  Suffolk,  Virginia,  and  were  advancing  their  left 
flank  upon  the  Nansemond  river,  with  a  view  to  crossing  that 
stream,  taking  our  Army  in  the  rear,  and,  after  capturing 
Suffolk,  to  drive  Major-General  Peck  back  upon  Norfolk,  which 
would  be  thus  seriously  threatened. 

Admiral  Lee  was  called  upon  for  aid,  with  the  request  that 
he  would  check  the  enemy's  advance  on  the  line  of  the  Nanse- 
mond. His  flag-ship,  the  frigate  Minnesota,  was  then  anchored 
off  Newport  News,  Va.,  and  Lieutenants  Cushing  and  Lamson 
were  summoned  into  the  presence  of  the  Admiral,  who  ex- 
plained to  the  young  men  the  gravity  of  the  situation,  and  told 
them  he  looked  to  them  to  represent  fitly  the  Navy. 

A  few  tugs  and  ferry-boats  of  light  draft,  lightly  sheathed  in 
boiler-iron,  a  protection  only  against  leaden  bullets,  were  hastily 
gathered  and  ordered  to  the  front,  being  the  only  craft  that  could 
be  used  in  the  shallow  waters  of  the  stream. 


22 


To  Lamson  was  assigned  the  protection  of  the  Upper  Nanse- 
mond,  and  to  dishing  that  portion  of  the  stream  below  the 
Western  Branch. 

Taking  a  detail  of  men  from  the  flag-ship  to  work  his 
howitzers  on  the  Mount  Washington,  Lamson  steamed  off, 
followed  by  a  couple  of  tugs,  and  headed  for  his  station, 
soon  followed  by  the  gallant  Cushing  in  the  Commodore  Barney, 
with  tugs  to  assist  in  patrolling  the  stream  below  Western  Branch, 
at  which  point  a  row  of  piling  across  the  stream  was  the  dividing 
line  of  their  little  commands. 

I  will  not  tell  of  the  activity  shown  by  Cushing  on  his  station  ; 
nor  of  his  dashing  reconnoissances,  even  into  the  enemy's  line, 
nor  of  his  skill,  for  my  sketch  would  be  too  greatly  lengthened. 

For  several  days  after  reaching  their  stations  they  were 
annoved  only  by  occasional  shots  from  sharpshooters  on  picket ; 
but  on  the  14th  of  April,  whilst  Lamson  was  steaming  down 
past  Hillspoint,  near  Western  Branch,  convoying  a  small  army 
transport,  the  Mount  Washington  suddenly  met  a  sharp  fire 
from  a  heavy  masked  battery  which  had  been  thrown  up  during 
the  night,  the  enemy's  shot  penetrating  her  boiler  and  entirely 
disabling  her. 

The  Stepping  Stones,  a  small  ferry-boat,  was  ordered  up  to 
take  her  in  tow,  and  when  just  above  the  obstructions  at  the 
bar,  near  Western  Branch,  a  terrific  fire  was  opened  on  her 
from  ten  guns — six  in  an  earthwork  thrown  up  on  a  point  com- 
manding the  channel,  and  four  concealed  in  the  adjacent  woods. 

The  hawser  between  the  two  vessels  was  cut  by  a  shot,  and 
the  Mount  Washington  drifted  ashore,  in  front  of  the  battery, 
and  lay  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy.  Then  shone  forth  the  hero 
in  her  young  commander.  Lamson  ordered  the  Stepping 
Stones  alongside,  and  the  engineers,  firemen,  and  all,  except 
the  detachment  from  the  Minnesota,  were  sent  off  and  ordered 


23 

down  stream  out  of  range,  whilst  he  remained,  with  his  handful 
of  men,  to  save  his  vessel  if  he  could.  The  enemy  kept  up  an 
incessant  hail  of  shot  upon  the  frail  vessel  from  their  batteries, 
and  their  riflemen  riddled  her  from  stem  to  stern. 

Was  Lamson  idle?  Not  he.  His  purpose  was  to  save  the 
ship.  He  ordered  his  men  to  take  his  boat  and  run  out  a  line 
from  the  bow  to  a  pile  in  the  stream,  that  he  might  haul  the 
vessel  into  the  channel. 

The  open  deck  was  swept  by  bullets,  and  the  men  shrank 
back  at  first  from  the  danger,  when  brave  Lamson,  knowing  the 
force  of  example,  sprang  forward  with  revolver  in  hand,  and 
then  facing  them  said,  "  Obev  my  orders  and  come,  or  I  fire  !" 
In  an  instant  his  men  were  around  him,  the  boat  was  manned 
and  the  line  run  out.  The  battery  kept  up  its  fire  on  the  boat, 
strangelv  missing  it,  but  a  chance  shot  carried  off  the  head  of 
the  pile  as  the  line  was  being  thrown  over  it,  and  the  boat  was 
forced  to  i-etire. 

Lamson  had  one  of  his  howitzers  hoisted  to  the  open  hurri- 
cane-deck of  the  old  steamer,  and  taking  his  master's  mate, 
Birtwistle,  and  two  seamen  with  him,  sent  the  rest  of  the  men 
below  into  safetv,  and  then  mounting  the  hurricane-deck  he, 
from  between  the  paddle-boxes,  fought  the  enemy  with  shell 
and  shrapnel  under  a  terrific  fire. 

Finally  his  flag-staff  was  shot  away,  when  these  brave  fellows 
rushed  aft,  hauled  up  the  staff  by  the  halliards,  and,  running  the 
flag  to  the  truck,  expended  the  halliards  in  lashing  the  staff  to  the 
the  stump. 

Never  will  a  greater  tribute  to  valor  and  daring  be  given  than 
that  young  hero  then  received.  No  sooner  had  the  stars  and 
stripes  filled  out  to  the  breeze  than  the  rebel  firing  ceased,  and 
their  whole  force,  leaping  to  their  earthworks,  gave  him  three 
rousing  cheers,  in    which    the    Union   forces    on    our  side    of  the 


24 


stream,  who  were  witnesses  of  the  heroic  act,  joined  with 
enthusiasm  !  The  Stepping  Stones  was  permitted  to  tow  off 
the  disabled  steamer,  which  was  so  riddled  in  the  hull  and 
machinery  as  to  preclude  a  statement  of  the  amount  of  damage 
done  her. 

But  Gushing  and  Lamson  had  been  sent  there  to  pi'otect  the 
army's  flank,  and  they  allowed  themselves  no  respite  from  their 
arduous  task.  Cushing  had  gallantly  fought  the  battery  which 
had  so  roughly  handled  his  friend,  and  when  the  two  came 
together  the}'  at  once  matured  plans  for  their  future  operations. 
On  the  turning  of  the  tide  Lamson,  taking  command  of  the 
Stepping  Stones,  ran  the  fire  of  the  battery  again  and  reached 
his  station  without  taking  time  to  report  the  action  he  had  been 
in.  Cushing,  however,  in  his  despatch  to  the  Admiral,  sent 
down  with  the  disabled  steamer,  paid  fitting  tribute  to  his  friend, 
saying,  ii  It  is  only  necessary  to  look  at  the  Mount  Washing- 
ton to  see  with  what  desperate  gallantry  Lient.  Lamson 
fought  his  vessel." 

Lamson  did  not  rest  quiet,  or  content  himself  with  simply  pa- 
trolling his  beat.  A  longing  grew  up  within  him  to  give  the 
enemy  a  Roland  for  his  Oliver  !  He  wanted  that  battery  which 
had  pounded  him  so  heavily,  and  wanted  it  badly.  And  soon 
we  find  him  begging  the  loan  of  a  few  companies  of  soldiers 
from  General  George  W.  Gettv,  who  was  commanding  the  3d 
Division,  9th  Army  Corps,  then  near  Suffolk,  who  was  filled 
with  admiration  for  his  gallantry  and  skill,  and  willingly  recog- 
nized the  soundness  of  his  judgment. 

Hiding  the  open  decks  of  his  ferry-boat,  the  Stepping  Stones, 
by  means  of  hammock-cloths  hanging  from  the  awning  ropes, 
Lamson  for  two  or  three  days  kept  steaming  up  and  down  the 
river,  as  if  watching  for  a  chance  to  round  the  point  and  run  the 
battery,  but  would  always  retire  on  reaching  a  certain  point,  as 
if  afraid  of  their  guns. 


25 

The  rebels  were  evidently  watching  for  him,  and,  desiring  to 
repeat  the  dose  they  had  given  him  before,  had  trained  all  of 
their  guns  on  one  point  in  the  channel,  close  to  the  battery, 
where  they  felt  sure  a  concentrated  fire  would  riddle  and  sink 
the  vessel. 

Having  repeated  his  manoeuvres  often  enough,  Lamson  took 
on  board  detachments  from  the  Eighty-ninth  New  York,  under 
Lieut.  Col.  England,  and  from  the  Sth  Connecticut  Volunteers, 
under  Col.  Ward,  and,  on  the  20th  of  April,  in  the  afternoon, 
slowly  steamed  down  the  stream.  His  men  were  all  ready,  and 
well  instructed  as  to  his  plans.  The  rebel  gunners  could  be  seen, 
lock-string  in  hand,  ready  to  greet  them  should  they  pass  the  fatal 
line  of  fire,  but  on  reaching  that  point  in  the  river  which  had 
been  fixed  upon  for  his  manoeuvre  Lamson  put  the  helm 
a-starboard  and  ran  his  steamer's  nose  into  the  mud  just  above 
the  battery  ;  the  hammocks  were  triced  up,  and  gang-planks  run 
out.  With  a  cheer  the  soldiers  charged  ashore  and,  on  the  run, 
entered  a  ravine  leading  to  the  rear  of  the  battery,  General  Getty, 
under  a  heavy  fire,  directing  their  movements.  Lamson  at  the 
same  time  ran  ashore  his  battery  of  howitzers,  and  rushed  them 
to  the  hill  overlooking  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  works.  Surprised, 
the  rebels  barely  had  time  to  wheel  one  or  two  guns  and  fire  into 
the  advancing  column,  when,  the  howitzers  pouring  into  them  an 
answering  volley  of  grape  and  canister,  they  threw  up  their 
hands  and  surrendered. 

Before  night-fall  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  prisoners  and  five 
guns,  with  all  their  ammunition,  were  safely  within  our  lines, 
and  the  news  of  the  victory  had  been  despatched  to  the  Admiral. 

In  three  communications  to  the  Admiral,  now  on  the  files 
of  the  Department,  did  General  Getty  pay  glowing  tribute  to  the 
gallantry,  daring,  and  ability  of  this  young  Lieutenant,  and  to 
his  admiration  for  his  skill,  energy,  and  success  in  action,  which 
effectually  checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy  in  that  direction. 


26 


The  Admiral  crowned  his  repeated  words  of  praise  by  a 
request  to  the  Secretary  to  permit  Lieut.  Lamson  to  retain  the 
sword  he  had  so  gallantly  won  from  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  enemy. 

Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  naval  career  of  my  friend  Roswell 
H.  Lamson.  On  many  other  occasions  was  he  distinguished  for 
gallantry,  and  he  was  always  glad  to  share  his  laurels  with  others 
who  would  strive  for  them.  A  truly  brave  man  himself,  he 
never  envied  the  gallantry  shown  by  others,  whose  success  was 
to  him  simply  an  incentive  to  greater  energy  and  to  a  becoming 
emulation  of  their  deeds. 

He  was  universally  loved  and  admired  by  his  brother  officers, 
and  was  well  worthy  of  the  congratulations  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  who  wrote  words  to  him  that  all  young  officers 
should  strive  to  merit  for  themselves,  and  which  will  form  a 
fitting  close  to  my  sketch.      They  were  as  follows ; 

"Navy  Department, 
"Washington,   D.   C,   May  4,   i86j. 

Sir  :  Your  recent  important  and  meritorious  services  on  the 
Upper  Nansemond  deserve  the  special  commendation  of  the 
Department.  The  ability  displayed  in  the  discharge  of  the 
important  and  responsible  duties  which  devolved  on  the  naval 
force  during  the  late  demonstration  of  the  enemy  reflected  great 
credit  upon  yourself  and  the  officers  and  men  under  your  com- 
mand. Their  zeal  and  courage  in  the  hazardous  position  in 
which  they  were  placed  have  not  failed  to  receive  the  approba- 
tion of  both  naval  and  military  authorities.  General  Getty, 
with  whom  you  were  co-operating,  has  expressed  his  obligations 
to  you  and  your  command  for  gallantry  and  energy  displayed, 
especially  in  the  capture  of  the  rebel  battery  on  the  Nansemond, 
and  for  valuable  assistance  rendered  to  him  during  his  opera- 
tions in  repelling  the  enemy  ;  and  your  immediate  commanding 
officer,  Acting  Rear- Admiral  Lee,  has  reported,  in  terms  of 
admiration,  your  discretion  and  valor. 

"The  Department  congratulates  you  on  your  success,  and  is 
proud  to  see   in  the  younger   members  of  the   corps   such  evi- 


27 

dences  of   energy  and  gallantry,  execution  and  ability,  scarcely 
surpassed  by  those  of  more  age  and  experience. 
"Very  respectfully,  etc., 

"GIDEON  WELLES, 

"  Secretary  of  tJic  Navy." 
"Lieutenant  R.  H.  Lamson, 

United  States  Navy." 

FRANCIS  PRESTON  BLAIR  SANDS, 

late  Acting  Master,   U.  S.  Navy. 
April  4,  1894. 


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